"Yes, there are two more
people, with one suspected case an employee of Jakarta's Ragunan Zoo
while the other is a vendor at the zoo," Siti said.

The minister said that as of
Tuesday, there had been six people admitted to Sulianti Saroso Hospital
in North Jakarta. Two of them earlier tested positive for the virus.
Blood samples from the other patients have been sent to a Hong Kong
laboratory.

The number of conflicting media reports and confusing quotes from
officials continue to grow as does the list of patients hospitalized
with bird flu conditions. Earlier reports indicated two zoo
employees had tested positive
for H5N1, but did not mention symptoms. The comment above
indicates two people affiliated with the zoo are hospitalized with
symptoms. One is an employee and another a vendor. Other
media reports indicate the vendor is a street vendor, which would seem
to indicate that transmission at the zoo was casual. Another
media report describes a zoo trader as a 50 year-old male with a cough
and breathing difficulties. It is not clear if this is the street
vendor or a third person associated with the zoo with symptoms.

Since Jarkata has its own H5N1 testing facility, it seems that samples
sent to Hong Kong are for confirmation, and therefore all six of the
hospitalized patients have already tested as positive for H5N1 in
Jakarta. Technically the two earlier admissions did test positive
earlier, but that was because they were admitted earlier. The
official statement does not deny that the four later patients tested
positive later in Jakarta.

The numbers appear to be growing for children hospitalized also.
Details on the first four admitted have been given previously.
The two most recent admissions, on September 18, were a 3 year old
named Rosani Ningsih and an 18 month-old. However media reports
also describe a patient admitted early
Monday morning who lives near a poultry farm in northern
Jakarta. Additional media reports describe a recent admission of
a two year-old with initial WLS.
as well as one with the initial R.

Although the R could be Rosani Ningsih and WLS be the 18 month old who
was also described as a two year old, there are rumors that the
initials of the 18 month old are RH and RH is a contact of the
hospitalize 6/7 year old with initials MG or MT, who is lab confirmed
H5N1 positive.. The association of MG/MT with another patient is
supported by yet another media
report indicating MG/MT is a source of additional infection(s).

Thus, the number of cases appears to be rising, along with conflicting
media reports. There may be three hospitalized adults affiliated
with the zoo and up to seven children admitted.

However, the increasing examples of probable human-to-human
transmission are the major cause for concern.